O’Brien’s Tower

To the south of the visitor centre as you follow the path and steps along the cliff edge you will come to O’Brien’s Tower.  O’Brien’s Tower was built in 1835 by Cornelius O’ Brien, a descendant of Brian Boru, the High King Of Ireland. Cornelius was the local landowner and was a man ahead of his time, believing that the development of tourism would benefit the local economy & bring the people out of poverty. You can find more about Cornelius O’Brien in the section on Tourism at the Cliffs of Moher in the History area.

The tower was used as an observation tower for the hundreds of visitors who even then came to the Cliffs each year. The main structure originally composed of two linked round towers built of fine local stone, the remaining one of which has a spiral iron staircase leading to a viewing platform at the top. From the viewing platform on the roof you can view the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, Aill Na Searrach and Hags Head. On a clear and sunny day you can see Connemara with the distinctive Twelve Pins mountain range to the north and County Kerry to the south.

Looking north you will see a small cairn on top of the hill in the neighbouring field. This cairn marks the highest point of the Cliffs of Moher, 214 metres above sea level, at Knockardakin. There is a charge of €2 for adults and €1 for children to visit the upper levels of the tower.

This includes a small exhibition on the middle floor and the rooftop viewing platform outside.

If you have any questions about the cliffs, wildlife or the tower itself, a Cliffs of Moher Ranger is based on the ground floor to assist you with any information for which you are looking.